Day One Hundred Eighteen

Microburst? In West Yellowstone?

Who would have thought.

Apparently did not make the cut as a "tornado" due to the fact that it didn't completely touch ground.  The effects, however, definitely did.  

These are some pictures taken by mother after we literally watched the whole thing  happen while cruising back into town from Big Sky.  Probably not the safest thing to drive around town amongst the sirens and storm, minutes after the burst, snapping pictures and catching as much of the action as we could.

Good piece of drama for the townies.  And tourists.

Day One Hundred Sixteen

Everyone should listen to this at least twice today.

"For Emma" - Bon Iver

Day One Hundred Fifteen

A new Brooke Shoko blog to add to the list:

"My eats. My thoughts."

Enjoy.

Day One Hundred Fourteen

Lists lists lists.
20 lists of 20 things.

20 Things I'm Glad Life Taught Me

20 Things To Blow Up In A Microwave

20 Things I Wish I Had Known When Starting Out in Life

20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

20 Things That Can Ruin Your Smile

20 Homemade Things That Shouldn't Be Home-Made

20 Ways To Change The Value of Your House

20 Contagious Things in Life

20 Things You Can Use Twice Before Tossing

20 Things You Can Do To Conserve Energy

20 Things You May Not Know About Love

20 Things You Will Need To Survive When The Economy Collapses

20 Things Everyone Should Do in Italy

20 Things To Do When You're Bored At Walmart

20 Things You Can Do With Your Bounty of Tomatoes

20 Things That May Be Keeping You Awake

20 Things The Millionaire Next Door Does Not Do

20 Facts About Today's College Freshmen

20 Things You Can Legally Steal To Save Money

20 Things That Happen In One Minute

Day One Hundred Thirteen

Oh roomies . . .

What I'm missing: jim impersonations, your laugh, walking alongside as you bike, discussing parent-sibling interaction, your good taste in music. Someone that will always get ice cream with me.

Come back? Thanks.

What I'm missing: working two full-time jobs & living together, cowboy fetish, someone who understands most everything about me, your style, laying at the pool, watching you eat nothing but almonds, apples, and peanut butter.

Get back up here.

What I'm missing: our naps, our sleepovers, our late night talks, making fun of chris, finding your pitchers of what-not in the fridge, having a nutrition genius, your midnight side salad runs. Oopschmeck. Yeah.

Cooooooooome back.

Oh hey, Benjamin.

Looks like it's just us now.

Last two on the island.

Party.

Day One Hundred Nine

It's days like yesterday when I am reminded that people are good.

Each night I serve approximately 100 customers.
About 6 of them don't speak English
Around 3 are attractive young males
Over 38 of them are complainers or extremely impatient
11 of them are locals
52 are Mormon
17 of the 52 Mormons will bump into me at church on Sunday
"Oh wait, you're that waitress girl from the pizza place!"
About 15 are cowboys
33 are foreign
5 of them smell bad
12 are motorcycle men and women
17 are vegetarian
2 of them don't tip
1 is a co-worker
All of them are hungry
And most are tourists

Yesterday, 2 of the sweetest people came in.
It was their second time (you should also know that I absolutely love return customers). Don and Suzie from Washington. So fun to talk to and pleasant to be around.
People like this allow me to actually enjoy what I do for hours each week.
They ordered a couple margaritas, a medium pizza to share, and loved it.
I loved that they loved it.
We talked about this and that. Where they were from, how the park was.
And the usual conversation came up that I have a few times each day:

"So are you just a summer worker?"
"Yeah, it's my second summer here."
"Oh how fun. When does school start? Where are you from?"
"Salt Lake City. I'm a student at Utah State University."
"Oh so you're heading back soon?"
"No I actually have a month left here. I'm taking the semester off."
"Well what are you doing that for?"
"I'm going to Spain this fall. Teaching English, traveling. So excited."
"How wonderful."

And the conversation carries on.

Don, Suzie, and I had a conversation like this.
Yesterday as they were leaving the pizzeria they wished me luck again and gave me their card. Told me they wanted to keep up on my experiences if I had time to send and email or something of that sort.
As I was running into the saloon to grab a drink, Suzie stopped me and handed me $50.
"Good luck in Spain. Here's a little extra money to help you out."
The sweetheart.
On top of that they left me a generous tip for their meal and left happily.

It's people like this that make me want to be better.
More kind. More patient. More happy.

Another instance a few weeks ago just about melted my heart.
A lady sat to eat a pizza with her two young boys.
This random man just a few booths to the right of her flagged over Melissa and told her that he would be taking care of her meal.
It was interesting, approaching her after everything was eaten and telling her that the pizza had been paid for by an anonymous person in the restaurant.
The guy not only took care of the meal but gave me some extra cash which I also handed to her. The lady was confused, but you could see that she was grateful.
I couldn't help leaving that night just wishing I could be better.

People are good.
People are nice.
Not everyone is a pain in the rear-end.

Day One Hundred Two

Favorite song of the week.

I'm in love with the chorus.

"Blue Beard"

Enjoy.

I used to see the night so anxious, but now I know
The only thing it ever taught me was a grand illusion
That comes and goes, the city blanketed of snow.

What if we die, no end and no conclusion.
How could you smile, just walk away.
Well I don't know.
I don't know.

I met you at the railroad station, now years ago.
And something happened on the night I last drank with you in the neon glow.
Now I don't see you anymore.

The Midwestern sky, is gray and cold.
The sun never shines, but that's alright.
And I couldn't find the letters that you wrote me.
What did you write? Where'd you go, well I don't know. No.

Take a little time gonna roll the dice
Taken for a ride, any normal life will do, too.
Find another way, try to break the ice
Every day and night, the banana peels were true. True.